Hitler Election Victory Rescinded

What, in fact, is the most likely course of events in Palestinian politics after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza?....The Palestinian leadership will do everything possible to avoid power-sharing, wider democracy, or fair elections.

Tensions were mounting in the ruling Fatah party on Monday following reports that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas had decided to name his own candidates to run in next month's parliamentary elections.

Fatah gunmen, who took to the streets in several areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, vowed to prevent the PA from holding the parliamentary elections. The gunmen raided a number of PA election offices to protest Abbas's decision to ignore the results of primary elections held for the party over the past two weeks. The elections saw representatives of the young guard in Fatah defeat most of the veteran leaders of the party.

Facing a violent uprising by representatives of the young guard in his ruling Fatah party, PA Chairman Abbas was under enormous pressure on Tuesday to postpone parliamentary elections scheduled for next month. The PA's central election commission suspended all activities in protest against a rash of attacks against its offices and employees in the West Bank and Gaza. Election officials said they would not return to work until the PA can guarantee their safety. The latest crisis was triggered by Abbas's decision to appoint Fatah's candidates for the parliamentary vote instead of endorsing the results of the recent primary elections for the party.